This year, everyone's getting ...

There's a gift-making workshop in my dining room. The table is covered with tiles and cork and I'm having a blast trying different coaster techniques. 

I think of coasters as little bits of room jewelry that can add a personal detail or a spike of color to your coffee table or living-room side tables. I'm customizing each set, which will also make them great conversation pieces. For instance, I'm giving my brother map coasters that show his favorite surfing spots.

Note: All of these are made with bottom and top coats of Mod Podge plus a sealant. The tiles have felt on the bottoms.

Top: Silver seagrass coasters.

Yep, tinsel! Years ago, in an un-green moment, I bought tinsel and with this project, I can upcycle the leftovers. 

Tip: If you try this, lay the tinsel pieces down on the Mod Podge in a group and then 

adjust the individual strands.

Middle: Classic map coasters.

Cork circle + paper maps. Easy.

Tip: I used maps from AAA but you could also print maps from the web.

Bottom: Rock-and-roll coasters.

I printed images of bands (Wilco, here) and put them onto white tiles from the 
hardware store (16 cents each!). 

Tip: Choose images with similar colors so they work as a set.

 

Time to deck the mantle!

Decorating a mantle is an excellent opportunity to get creative and make a still life that sets a mood in your home. Have fun with it! The mantle in my house is a giant, ornately carved beauty from the early 1900s and it's a great stage for decorations.

Here's a little mantlescape inspiration:

This is a fantastic Hannukah mantlescape. It's got a simple, elegant color scheme and the chocolate coin (Hannukah gelt) garland is a fun touch.

[Source: houzz]

Can you tell I like white? Here's a pretty, wintery look. The jar full of silver balls and the small figures add interest and the snowball /pom-pom garland is a good texture contrast to the hard objects above it.

[Source: pinterest]

Need character? Just add wood.

A little bit castle (walls and mirrors) and little bit log cabin. Love the reclaimed wood counter.

Source: customhomeonline.com

Saved from being cold and sterile by a gorgeous wooden cabinet complete with 
grain and knots.

Source: remodelista.com.

White Pumpkins with Spice

As much as I love white pumpkins, the kid in me says, yawn, they can be sooo grown-up. So I surfed around and found these two ways to customize pale pumpkins so they're both elegant and fun. 

These pumpkin-seed eyed owls from Better Homes and Gardens are cute, but not cutesy.
Check out bhg.com for easy directions.
BTW, you might want to keep these inside so the owls don't get their eyes pecked at by birds. That's definitely not elegant.

....or try wrapping the stems of your white pumpkins with jute. I love the curled ends! A collection of these would make a pretty mantlescape.
Go to thriftyandchic.com for the how-to.   

End-of-summer Chillin'

Two ways to escape the depressing fact that summer is winding down:

1. Have a drink.
Step up to your cool outdoor bar made from wood pallets and pour yourself your absolute favorite beverage of the season. Make that two.
 [Bar directions at hgtv.com.] 

2. Read en plein air.
Carry your drink to a comfy seat, put your feet up, and choose a juicy read from your homemade, hanging book basket.  [Basket idea from crapivemade.com] 

DIY: Green Beach Sign

I saw this homemade sign on the deck of a beach house I was visiting. It was right by the door to go inside and the little feet painted on it made me grin. A sign like this is super easy to make with an old scrap of wood + leftover paint (zero voc, please). Write what you like, and then let the sun and rain do the rest. The more weathered, the better. No beach near you? No problem! Rustic signage adds character anywhere.

Swimming at Frank Lloyd Wright's House

It's unlikely that I'll ever be invited to take a dip at the architect's house, Fallingwater (now a museum), but if I (or you) were, here's the pool! Generally, I'm not keen on the look of above- ground pools but, despite the green water, this is definitely an exception. The mid-century modern lines and stone stairs and planter are fantastic and hopefully inspiring for anyone who wants to add spice to their pool.

[Images from whitehaveninteriordesign.blogspot.com (top) and wright-house.com (bottom)]

DIY: Keep Calm and Try Something Different

The flood of variations of the famous "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster are clever, but getting old. Here's how to create some word art that's truly original. Get a canvas (mine, above, is 5 feet tall but any size is fine), fabric paint, and letter stickers (available at Michaels). I also used a little gold glitter glue at the bottom. Then, choose your word or short phrase, paint, stick, and enjoy! 

Chandelier Spice

 Crystal is nice but turquoise, white coral, and birds (!) are much more fun.

[Tourquoise chandelier: marjorieskourasdesign.com; birds: minasdecorandfashion.blogs]

Poufs!

             I'm loving poufs lately and these are two that recently caught my eye.

Knitted pouf.  A natural look perfect for a zen room.

This looks like a giant pom-pom! Very fun, and it's cool that it's made from pieces of leather .




[from craftzine.com (knitted) and icdecoration.com (leather)]

DIY: Custom Fabric

Look at this fun fabric that's cool enough to frame! The bikes were drawn by a talented co-worker of mine who had her design printed on cloth at spoonflower.com. Fabulous idea and, of course, there are all kinds of things you could make with fabric that's got this much spice. Pillows, placemats, skirts, and chair covers, for starters. Check out the Indoor Spice page to see another excellent design from this artist. If you're interested in her fabric, you can reach her at kandylittrell@gmail.com.

Happy Valentine's Day!

        Here's something sweet to make. It would be fun to try it with a mix of colors.

[Image from tinywhitediasies.tumblr.com]

DIY: Projector Art

If you can't draw, but want to create some art that actually looks a little like you can, try this:

Use an overhead projector (you can rent them) to beam an image you like onto a section of wall that you've taped a big piece of craft paper to. Trace the image, take the paper off the wall, and color it in with paint!  Easy and dramatic. Check out the Indoor Spice page for more wall art ideas.

Snowy Gardens

Hello!  Check out these two pictures of wintery gardens. We got a light covering of snow this morning and it made me remember that I love the look of snowy gardens. Plus, they're so sparkly in the sun — and no weeding!

Garden hens

Versailles.  It seems like some gardens hens might be nice here. ; )





[Hens photo from guardian.co.uk, Versailles from casasuger.com]

Winter tip from my green-thumb Mom: If you find yourself staring out the window at the snow and fantasizing about creating a new garden, or adding to what you already have, wait for a fresh snowfall and then use a stick to trace out the shape you want in the snow. Draw it exactly where you think you want to plant. Then you can get a feel for how it would flow and the best size.